Tobias Picker

Short bio Tobias Picker

Birthday: 1954 in New York, NY

Genre: Classical

Period: 20th Century, Contemporary

Full biography Tobias Picker

Tobias Picker is a contemporary American composer known for his work in opera and orchestral music. He was born on July 18, 1954, in New York City and grew up in a musical family. He began composing at a young age and went on to study at the Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard School.

Picker's compositions are known for their melodic lines and lush harmonies, often incorporating tonal elements alongside more modernist techniques. His operas have received critical acclaim, with his adaptation of Theodore Dreiser's "An American Tragedy" being particularly well-regarded.

In addition to his work in classical music, Picker has also been open about living with Tourette's Syndrome and has spoken about how music has helped him cope with his condition. He has written and spoken extensively about the role of music in his life, including how it has helped him to focus and find meaning.

Picker's works have been performed by numerous orchestras and opera companies around the world, and he has received many awards and honors for his contributions to the field of classical music. In recent years, he has been particularly associated with his opera adaptation of Oliver Sacks' "Awakenings," which has been performed at several major opera houses.

Overall, Tobias Picker is a significant figure in contemporary classical music, known for his melodic and expressive compositions, his advocacy for the importance of music in daily life, and his inspiring story of overcoming challenges to achieve success in his chosen field.

Compositions featuring Tobias Picker

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Opera Without Words, for orchestra	27:41 min	Orchestral	2015
2	Live Oaks, for piano quintet	29:47 min	Chamber Music	2011
3	Thérèse Raquin, opera	108:56 min	Opera	200?
4	Cello Concerto	23:28 min	Concerto	1999
5	Fantastic Mr. Fox, opera	82:28 min	Opera	1998
6	Four Etudes for Ursula, for piano	15:09 min	Keyboard	1996
7	not even the rain, for soprano & piano	4:20 min	Vocal Music	1996
8	Where the Rivers Go, for piano	5:47 min	Keyboard	1995
9	And Suddenly It's Evening, for orchestra	19:12 min	Orchestral	1994
10	Emmeline, opera in 2 acts	113:16 min	Opera	1994
11	Native Trees, for soprano & piano	3:31 min	Vocal Music	1992
12	To the Insects, for soprano & piano	3:47 min	Vocal Music	1992
13	Invisible Lilacs, for violin & piano	17:33 min	Chamber Music	1991
14	Romances and Interludes for oboe & orchestra		Concerto	1990
15	The Blue Hula, for piano	2:18 min	Keyboard	1990
16	Pieces (3), for piano	9:35 min	Keyboard	1990
17	Half a Year Together, for soprano & piano	1:25 min	Vocal Music	1987
18	Old and Lost Rivers for orchestra	6:03 min	Orchestral	1986
19	Old and Lost Rivers, for solo piano	5:15 min	Keyboard	1986
20	String Quartet No. 1 ("New Memories")	21:12 min	Chamber Music	1986
21	When We Meet Again, for soprano & piano	2:08 min	Vocal Music	1985
22	Symphony No. 2 for soprano & orchestra ("Aussöhnung")	28:50 min	Vocal Music	1985
23	Piano Concerto No. 2 ("Keys to the City")	19:21 min	Concerto	1983
24	Keys to the City, version for 2 pianos	19:08 min	Keyboard	1983
25	The Encantadas, for narrator & orchestra	30:23 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	1983
26	Concerto for violin & orchestra	23:41 min	Concerto	1981
27	Romance for violin & piano	9:32 min	Chamber Music	1979
28	Nova, for piano quintet	12:04 min	Chamber Music	1979
29	Rhapsody for violin & piano	12:14 min	Chamber Music	1978
30	... when soft voices die..., for piano	14:30 min	Keyboard	1977
31	Sextet No 3 for flute, cello, violin, piano, double-bass & percussion	13:25 min	Chamber Music	1977
32	Sextet No. 2 "Halle's Ravine"	12:30 min	Chamber Music	1976
33	Seance		Miscellaneous (Classical)	-
34	Romances and Interludes, for oboe & piano	26:11 min	Chamber Music	-

Albums featuring Tobias Picker

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Tobias Picker, Nashville Symphony, Giancarlo Guerrero – Opera Without Words • The Encantadas(CD, Album)	2020	Naxos
2	Tobias Picker - John Brancy, Krista River, Andrew Craig Brown, Edwin Vega (2), Gabriel Preisser, Elizabeth Futral, Tynan Davis, Theo Lebow, Andrey Nemzer, Gail Novak Mosites, John Dooley (8), Jonathan Blalock, Boston Children's Chorus, Boston Modern Orche	2019	BMOP/sound
3	Invisible Lilacs(CD, Album)	2014	Tzadik
4	Tobias Picker - Ursula Oppens – Keys To The City - Piano Works(CD, Album, Stereo)	2008	WERGO
5	Tobias Picker - Paul Watkins (3), Jeremy Denk, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Thomas Sanderling – Keys To The City • And Suddenly It's Evening • Cello Concerto(CD, Album)	2003	Chandos
6	Thérese Raquin(2×CD, Album)	2002	Chandos
7	Tobias Picker, Patricia Racette, The Santa Fe Opera, George Manahan – Emmeline(2×CD, Album, Box Set, )	1998	Albany Records
8	Tobias Picker - Sir John Gielgud, The Houston Symphony, Christoph Eschenbach – The Encantadas / Old And Lost Rivers / Romances And Interludes	1991	Virgin Classics
9	Violin Concerto / When Soft Voices Die / Rhapsody / Sextet No. 3 / Romance(CD, Compilation, Remastered)	1991	Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI)
10	Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, Tobias Picker – American Music Of The XXth Century(CD, Compilation)	1991	Virgin Classics
11	Symphony No. 2 / String Quartet No. 1	1990	Elektra Nonesuch
12	The Brooklyn Philharmonic, Tobias Picker, Marc Blitzstein, Lukas Foss – Keys To The City/Piano Concerto(CD, )	1988	Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI)
13	American Composers Orchestra, Paul Dunkel - Tobias Picker / Chester Biscardi – Violin Concerto / At The Still Point(LP, Album)	1982	Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI)
14	Music Of Tobias Picker(LP, Album)	1980	Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI)